HIV Care in Ethiopia

Since the HIV/AIDS epidemic arrived in Ethiopia, attitudes toward the disease as well as the opportunities for treatment and a healthy life have changed dramatically. With the Government of Ethiopia's commitment to providing national free treatment for HIV/AIDS, patients have increased access to HIV services in their local communities.

Through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been working to support the delivery of life-saving HIV/AIDS treatment in Ethiopia. From strengthening pharmaceutical supply chains to supporting rural health workers to providing technical assistance to policymakers, U.S. assistance is making a real difference in the lives of Ethiopians. In just one year, the number of Ethiopians accessing HIV counseling and testing, increased from 500,000 to more than nine million. The number of people on anti-retroviral therapy has increased from 900 in 2005 to 317,000 in 2013.